Weather protecting covering for electrical conductors



(No Model.) v

E. J. HOUSTON.

WEATHER PROTECTING COVERING FOR BLBGTRIGAL GONDUGTORS. No. 527,556.Patented Oct. 16, 1894.

INVENTOR: 4 2W;

UNITED STATES PATENT nrron.

EDWIN J. HoUsToN, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

WEATHER PROTECTING COVERING FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 527,556, dated October16, 1 894..

- Application filed November 17, 1891. Serial No.412,116- No model.)

over-head, surface or under-ground wires,

with which contactis maintained by trolleys, sleds, plows or othersimilar devices. It is, however, more broadly applicable, and may beused for telegraph, telephone and similar wires also. In the case ofelectric railways the contact surfaces of the conducting wire and of thecontact device used in combination therewith, being necessarily bare,are

- able by atmospheric influences and which,

while protecting the surfaces against oxidation, shall not appreciablyincrease the resistance at the points of contact.

To these ends my invention consists in coating the otherwise bare coppersurface of the wire with a thin adhesive layer of graphite or other formof carbon analogous to graphite in the particulars desirable for thepurposes of my invention, and further, in combining with a wire, thusprotected, a similarly protected contact roller, or other analogouscontact device.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a vertical sectionthrough a conducting wire and a preferred construction of trolleyroller, the entire surface of the wire and contact surface of the rollerbeing coated in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2

represents a side view of the same, and Fig. 3 represents a side view ofone of the se ments which form the coating of the trolley.

In said drawings A represents the wire, and a, the coating which iscombined therewith. I prefer to apply this coating by some one of thefollowingmethods, viz: Where graphite or plumbago is used the surface ofthe wire should be preferably slightly roughened and the graphite orplumbago, in a finely to that produced by the use of graphite orplumbago may be applied by covering the surface of the wire with acarbonizable oil and subjecting it to the action of heat sufficient forcarbonization,afterward rubbing the coating if necessary; or the coatingmay be deposited upon the surface of the conductor by the action of anelectric current, a convenient mode of eifecting such deposit beingsubstantially as follows: The roll or reel of wire which is to receivethe coating is placed on a suitable support so that it can be readilyunwound and drawn through a bath of rhigolene, cymogene, naphtha orother liquid hydro-carbon.

Electrodes in circuit with a proper source of electricity are applied toa portion of the wire which is immersed in the hydro-carbon bath, aninch or two apart and in such manner as to obtain a good electriccontact, while permitting the Wire to be drawn through slowly. Underthese circumstances that portion of the wire which lies in the bathbetween the electrodes is raised to electrical incandescence and acoating of carbon resulting from the decomposition of the hydro-carbonliquid is deposited on the wire in the form of a firmly adhering coatingresembling graphite. I sometimes use this coating of carbon withoutfurther treatment, but in order to" give the same a greater flexibilityand to make the deposit resemble as nearly as possible true graphite, itmay be desirable to expose the coated wire heated to a high temperaturein a chamber containing nitrogen or some similar inert gas. Any of thesemethods may be employed with satisfactory results, and I do not limit myclaim by reference to the method of application of the carbonaceousmaterial, it being only essential that the coating should be so closelyadhesive as to be substantially integral with the surface of theconductor.

The protected trolley wheel or traveling conductor is preferablyconstructed as shown in the drawings, Where B represents a metallicwheel having a deep circumferential groove. Segmental graphite plates,5, fit snugly Within the circumferential groove of the wheel and aresecured by means of lateral pins 0, and radial pins d.

Preferably four graphite segments are used, and when thus applied theyconstitute a complete facing for the circumferential groove, inelectrical contact throughout with the mass of metal of the wheel andadapted to run beneath or upon the conducting wire. Obviously, theentire wheel itself might be made of graphite or of any of theartificial compounds containing graphite in sufi icientquantity to forma conductor of low electric resistance. In such case an excess ofgraphite is preferably placed in that region where the contact is tooccur. As in these cases, the wheel may be constructed in the ordinaryand well known form used for that purpose. I do not deem it necessary toshow the same in the drawings or to describe it in detail.

A primary feature of utility in thecombination, with the graphite coatedwire, of a contact device having a graphite surface, lies in the factthat the rubbing or sliding action of the contact device against theWire tends to preserve the integrity of the graphite coating upon thewire itself and also maintains it in a polished condition, so that thelubricating properties of the graphite for avoidance of friction areutilized in the highest degree.

Although I have described my invention as especially valuable inconductors for electric railways, its permanency, cheapness and ease ofapplication render it adaptable for use in other exposed conductors,such as telegraph, telephone or other wires, where protection alone isdesired.

I have used the term graphite in the foregoing specification asindicative of the general type of carbon desirable for my invention, butit must be understood that I do not limit my claim to the naturalvariety of carbon, which is known technically in the arts as graphite,but I mean to include anyequiv- .alent form of carbon, or carboncompounds,

having substantially the qualities indicated as necessary in theforegoing description.

I am aware that it is not new to insert a metallic strip within a rigidmass of carbon, and I am also aware that it is not new to constructcontact devices of carbon, or to insert a mass of carbon in a metallicseat forming part of a contact device. These instances of the use ofcarbon are entirely foreign to that contemplated by my invention.

The covering of a conducting wire or strip by a massof carbon ofsubstantial body, would of course occasion a corresponding increase ofresistance, if contact is to be made with an external object. Myinvention contemplates a mere coating, enveloping the conductor, withoutmaterial increase of resistance when a contact piece is presentedthereto. Hence I wish it to be understood that I do not claim broadlythe use of carbon in combination with inclosed or adjacent material. Nordo I claim the use of a carbon contact device, save in the combinationhereinafter set forth.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- I 1. As an improvement inelectrical conductors, the combination of a contact wire with a thin,pliable, continuous, adhesive, permanent, weather-protecting coating ofcarbon substantially integral therewith.

2. The combination with a conductor having a thin, pliable, continuous,adhesive, permanent, weather-protecting coating of carbon, substantiallyintegral therewith, of a contact device having a contact surface ofsubstantially the same material as said coating, as and for the purposesset forth.

EDWIN IIIOUSTON.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. BELL, G. HUBERT JENKINS.

